Solar Demise Five Series
by Pinku
Summary: A supplemental story to part 5 of my main story, Solar Demise. Chronicles the events that happened to Ranma and Akane during part 5. **New chapter, not on my web site!
1. 5a Mata Ne

Solar Demise - Five Series  
  
Part 5a - Mata Ne. [See You Later]  
  
This is a supplemental side story to part five of my main story, Solar Demise.  
It chronicles the events that took place with Ranma and Akane during part 5  
of the main story. ^^  
  
Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Takahashi Rumiko, along with a plethora of   
companies. I don't make money from writing this, and I don't plan to.  
------------------------------------  
  
"So, you wanna help me with these bags?" Ranma repeated himself, speaking   
deliberately.  
  
*Ohhh man,* I thought, turning to look at Akane. Her blank stare was my cue   
to break the preemptive silence. Akane, blushing profusely, became a bit clumsy   
and disoriented in gesture as she rushed almost too quickly to grab the bags   
that Ranma held.  
  
"Wow!" It looks like she already broke the silence. She spoke loudly, as if   
trying to waive what she had said seconds earlier. "Ranma-- you got ALL of this   
stuff just from the fish that you traded?" Akane seemed a bit too enthused to be   
looking into those bags... I decided to help her look less obvious.  
  
"Hey, cool!" I screeched, almost out of character, "I haven't had-"   
rummaging quickly in a split second, I retrieved a pack of imported- "beef jerky   
in a long time! Do you mind if.."  
  
"No, go for it." Ranma yawned, his words as fatigued as his gestures. "I'm   
just going to go for a nap. Have fun with the stuff."  
  
"Do you need me to get the blankets from our-"  
  
"No Akane," Ranma answered shortly. "I can do it."  
  
Damn it, Ranma. I was once more forced to shatter an akward moment. "Hey,   
have a good one. Akane and I were planning to go for a walk and ask you to come,   
but you're tired. It's okay."  
  
Ranma smiled, nodding. "Thanks, man." I could barely catch the flicker of   
his longing expression as he glanced at Akane, but I knew it was there. With   
that, he ducked into a his tent.  
  
Poor Akane looked terrified as she watched Ranma leave. I had to pull her   
hard to get her attention, and pull further to get her to start walking.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Once we reached a safe distance from the camp site, Akane sunk into the   
sand below and clapped her hands over her face. "What am I going to DO,   
Ryouga-kun? How in the hell am I going to be able to look at him tomorrow,   
nonetheless SLEEP in the same tent as he does?"  
  
"Uh.. don't wake him up tonight, and wing it tomorrow?" I expected Akane to   
smack me, but I didn't expect her to chuck the nearby rock (roughly one meter in   
size) at me. Dodging by a hair, I stared dumbfounded as Akane was smiling.  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"If you knew, why'd you ask?"  
  
"Smartass."  
  
"Your language is getting just as rough as Ranma's. Tsk tsk tsk, I'm going   
to think that it was YOU who spent ten years on the road." She giggled, and I   
felt better about being able to get her into a less frantic state of mind. "He's   
rubbing off on you, you'd better watch it."  
  
"Tell me about it." Akane sighed, stood back up and started walking. "In   
more ways than one."  
  
"I know, I know. But why are you having such a negative outlook on things?   
I thought that I was supposed to do that." I began to follow alongside Akane.   
Her demeanor wasn't as charismatic as usual, and the fire that always blazed in   
her eyes was unusualy subdued. I decided that she was gorgeous either way. The flame was   
dulled, but no matter what emotion Akane felt at the time, the emotion was   
passionate. Her worry and confusion reflected into her eyes, as did the   
surrounding moonlight. *In this state of worry, Akane could be feeling a bit   
hopeless,* I thought. As I watched her, she sighed and cast a glance at the   
ocean. I looked out too, wondering what the future held for all of us. It was   
just death, in the longrun. Why should we bother with anything?  
  
I felt Akane wrap her arms around mine. Sighing, she leaned on my shoulder   
as we walked. My heart began to beat faster. *Why does Akane have to do this   
right now?* My thoughts ran on their own, being soothed by the soft crashing of   
the waves. I sighed. A moonlight stroll with a beautiful girl is a picturesque   
moment, but Akane was the wrong beautiful girl. I would have praised the heavens   
for a moment like this in the past, but this time I felt guilty for being where   
I was. Akane wasn't for me. More importantly, the girl for me was kilometers   
away; I just wish I knew which direction those kilometers were in. Trying not to   
depress myself, I breathed in, trying to enjoy the chilly night air and the   
moon's company.  
  
"Please, Ryouga." Akane uttered, in a hushed tone of voice. "I shouldn't   
try to fool myself. Look at how Ranma instantly avoided us tonight! He didn't   
seem all that thrilled, at any rate."  
  
"He didn't seem angry, though. What if he was tired, and something like   
that confused him in the same way you are now?" The look in Ranma's eyes were   
unmistakable, but I was still confused. My words were only my own guess to the   
situation, but the last thing that I wanted to do was make Akane feel any worse.   
I chose not to speak of my confusion.  
  
"Ryouga, you don't sound like you're sincere about that. And besides, you   
fooled yourself about loving me, how can you possibly tell if--"  
  
Akane fell silent.  
  
I sighed. That hurt. Suddenly, my longing for Akari grew.  
  
Akane and I walked back to our campsite in silence.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Uhm, good night, Ryouga." Akane smiled pensively.  
  
I returned a warmer version of her smile. "It'll be   
okay."  
  
With that, we crawled into our tents.  
  
**********************************************  
  
As I fell asleep to the sound of crashing waves, I awoke with them as well.   
The air was a bit warmer, but the heat was not in full blast yet. I poked my   
head out of my tent, noticing that nobody was out on the beach yet, and neither   
Ranma nor Akane had awoken.  
  
Sighing, I resolved to pack up my belongings. I had some reservations about   
leaving, but Akane didn't need to be uncomfortable around two people right now.   
*If I leave now, Akane and Ranma'll have to come to some sort of understanding.*   
Though I might confuse her by leaving, I hoped that she would fix her emotions.   
For as long as I knew her, Akane had always been a strong girl. I knew that I   
was putting a lot of faith into Akane's strength by going now, but I hoped that   
this would make Akane stronger. That was the excuse that I used for leaving,   
anyway. The selfish side of me wanted to go and find Akari.  
  
"She was crying last night. And now you're packing."  
  
I nearly jumped at Ranma's voice. Turning around, I saw what I expected-- a   
peeved Ranma, glaring at me with folded arms. *Damn,* I thought. *I didn't   
expect her to cry!* "Ohayou, Ranma..."  
  
"Ohayou. Now what the hell happened?"  
  
"Nothing-" My answer was interrupted by a flying punch to the face. I   
dropped my things and leaped back until we were far enough from the campsite not   
to wake Akane.  
  
Ranma followed, just as I had anticipated. If he was in a rage, the best I   
could do was defend myself. Akane wouldn't be too happy with me if I were to   
leave bruises and cuts all over Ranma's body. "You're lying through your teeth,   
Ryouga. She had a rough night last night, and I wanna know what you said!" Ranma   
dove at me punching me with his Amaguriken technique.  
  
I blocked as best as I could. "Maybe she wouldn't have cried in the first   
place, if you wouldn't have acted so distant last night!" Once Ranma pulled back   
on his punches, I smacked him across the face. Ranma's eyes widened and he   
stopped his attacks, though his body language made if obvious that I had to   
continue to say the right thing. "Why are you dragging your ass, Saotome?"  
  
"What are you talking abou-"  
  
"Don't play stupid with me! You couldn't hide the way you looked at her   
last night from me! I, of all people, know what it's like to carry on a platonic   
relationship with a girl that I've fallen for! I finally noticed the same look   
of longing that I've had in my eyes before, and YOU had it last night!"  
  
"..." Ranma finally lowered his guard.  
  
"And look how pissed off you are about her crying. You're being too obvious   
about this Saotome, why don't you ease her mind a little?"  
  
"You HAVE had to do this before, I'll give you that. But if you're looking   
from the same point of view, you also know how hard it is to carry that out."   
Ranma's reply was, comfortingly, not what I had expected. "Look, Ryouga. It   
doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what you and Akane were talking   
about last night. I'd love to help make life easier, but will it really be?"  
  
I began to head back to the camp site to get my things. Ranma walked with   
me, still talking. "This kind of a feeling isn't something that I can pull out   
of nowhere to fix things, like my martial arts. Hell, I had to work to make THAT   
perfect, and I'm still trying to improve. I've barely had the chance to just be   
her friend, Ryouga."  
  
"That's a good point." It really was, and hearing it from Ranma made me   
feel a lot better about leaving.  
  
"Let me do that first, and enjoy it, Hibiki. When I'm ready, things won't   
feel so akward like they do now."  
  
I picked up my backpack and slung it over my back. "Okay, Ranma. She's   
really fragile now, though. Try not to be too friendly or she'll get confused   
again... and take care of her or I'll have to kill you."  
  
"You better take care of yourself. Now get out of here before she wakes up;   
it'll be hard for you to leave if she protests."  
  
"That was just what I was thinking. Name the baby after me, okay?" It made   
my morning to see Ranma's jaw drop. I waved goodbye and took off, racing to the   
north... I think.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes: (1998)  
*bows in a deep apology* Sorry I've been neglecting this 'fic! The truth is, I'm   
deeply hooked on the Rurouni Kenshin anime, and have been spending my time   
reading RK 'fics, buying RK stuff, and drawing Kenshin fanart. Oh yeah, I've   
been working on some other projects, too (my new art page comes to mind, along   
with my job, school, and requested artwork both from the internet and from my   
family and friends...).  
Since I'm not a phenomenal writer as many other Ranma fanfic writers, I figure   
that my 'fics are read to feed the fanfic craving in between parts of the other,   
bigger stories. ^_~ That's why my fanfic page is the least updated part of the   
Ranma and Akane Shrine (besides, you guys probably like my image gallery much   
better, neh? *grin*). Don't get me wrong; I still consider the e-mails that are   
sent from the people that actually WANT to see the conclusion of this fic enough   
to tell me. ^_^ You guys rock!  
  
*ruffles hair* This is the third draft of this story; the last two just seemed   
too plain, and uneventful, but one night, this last draft shot through my   
carpal-tunnel-ridden hands (okay wrists, but..) into my notepad program! Ohhhhh,   
I'm sooo tired!  
  
This particular "author's notes" section seems just as long as the fic... ah   
well. Stay tuned for part 5b (narrated by Ranma)! 


	2. 5b Ai Shiteru

Solar Demise - Five Series  
  
Part 5b - Ai shiteru [I love you].  
  
This is a supplemental side story to part five of my main story, Solar Demise.  
It chronicles the events that took place with Ranma and Akane during part 5  
of the main story. ^^  
  
Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Takahashi Rumiko, along with a plethora of   
companies. I don't make money from writing this, and I don't plan to.  
------------------------------------  
"You better take care of yourself. Now get out of here before she wakes up;   
it'll be hard for you to leave if she protests."  
  
"That was just what I was thinking. Name the baby after me, okay?" Ryouga   
ran off before I could say anything.   
  
That jerk. I sighed, sitting down in the sand. The air had a really cold   
feeling to it, thankfully. My body was a bit hot after using my energy to be   
angry at Ryouga.   
  
I absentmindedly traced a finger in the sand, thinking about last night.   
*She said she'd do anything for me...* I marvelled at that. In all of my life,   
I'd never heard anyone say that they would do a thing for me, unless it would   
benefit them. I had to fight to keep things normal. When I was growing up, it   
was too hard to keep things routine when there was a chance that Pop would pack   
up everything and leave one night (of course, chased by an angry mob of   
townspeople or the like). There was hardly a chance to make a lasting   
friendship, hardly a chance to have a normal childhood. Back then, I didn't care   
all that much. I had never become accustomed to asking for anything; after a   
while, I figured out that no matter what, Pop would continue his sphiel about   
how "the path of a true martial artist is fraught with peril..." I figured that   
it was his way of saying that he was too cheap/lazy/wrapped up in kicking my ass   
to listen to anything I had to say.   
  
When we finally settled at Akane's house, I thought that things would be   
easier after the first month that we lived there. I hadn't changed schools in   
more than two weeks, and it didn't look like Pop was going to wear out his   
welcome any time soon, since he was such good friends with Tendou-san. For once   
in my life, things had been.. regular. For once in my life, there were things   
that I could count on, like waking up to a familiar ceiling, and seeing people   
(besides my father) on a regular basis. At that time, I asked myself, was this   
what it was like to have a real home? I had a roof that I could (pretty much)   
call my own, a place to set my backpack, even a girl to call my own.  
  
...not that I would have done that. Akane was her own person, of course.  
  
I sighed. Akane and I were companions, whether we realized it or not.  
  
"Why SHOULD it surprise me that it would come to this?" I whispered out   
loud. The answer came instantly. It wasn't a surprise, after all. For once, my   
dad was right about something. Akane was right for me.  
  
"Ryouga-kun?"  
  
"Huh?" Having been thrown off-guard, I turned to see Akane crawling out of   
our tent. I watched as she smiled in salutation to me. Quickly after, her   
expression suddenly switched to uncertainty, and she promptly looked away from   
me. I turned my back to her and faced forward again.  
  
"He's gone," I heard Akane whisper to herself. I didn't know what to do.   
Minutes crawled by as my mind ran through a million things that I could have   
done or said at that moment. Before I could actually come to a decision as to   
what to do, I heard some quiet sobbing. Damn. More indecision swept me, and I   
still had no idea what to do.  
  
"Ranma?" Akane whispered.  
  
"Mmm?" I said, not even turning around. *Dammit, Saotome!* I cursed at   
myself. Why couldn't I even say a full "yes" to her?  
  
"I..." her voice seemed to shy away a bit more. "I just want to know how   
much longer you're planning to travel?" This wasn't the fiery Akane that I knew!   
Did I screw up so badly last night? Did I hurt Akane badly enough to turn her   
into this meek little girl?  
  
"I don't know, Akane. I still feel like doing some things..." I turned   
around to face her, only to find her looking away. "Why?"  
  
"Then I guess I'll go on myself. I just want to go home now."  
  
"Wha..." Was she serious? Did she now want to get away from me? I sat up   
quickly in disbelief. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"..." Akane shook her head.  
  
"Is it me...? Did I do something?"  
  
Akane was silent again, but didn't move in any reaction to my question. I   
sighed, and scooted closer to her. Almost backing away, Akane flinched a bit   
before she resolved not to move.  
  
"I heard you crying last night, Akane." Hesitating for a second, I finally   
pushed myself mentally and pulled her into my arms. I was determined to fix what   
happened last night, even though I would be playing by ear. Akane raised her   
hands to push against my chest. The force wasn't very hard, but it made her   
point.  
  
"What are you doing, Ranma?" Akane asked softly. Her hands pushed against   
me a bit harder, and I pulled her closer to me. "Stop it... please..."  
  
I didn't know what the hell had gotten in to me then. I also didn't know   
what I was going to do after that. Akane continued to half-heartedly push away   
from me, but I didn't let go. I refused to let go until I could think of   
something to say to her. "Look, Akane," I blurted out. "I don't wanna see you   
cry like that ever again."  
  
Akane's pushing finally stopped, and her hands fell limp across her lap.   
"Oh... thanks..."  
  
"I mean," I continued, "it's like I said before... right? You and me...   
we're friends, right? We have to take care of each other." I hoped that what I   
said was enough.   
  
"And here I thought that you were asleep. I'll be damned." Akane sighed and   
leaned foreward into my chest. Before I could react, I felt more sobs passing   
from her lips. My hands instinctively moved up to stroke her hair in a   
comforthing gesture.   
  
"What's wrong, Akane?"  
  
After a few more sobs, Akane finally raised her head, tearfully smiling up   
at me. "I just wanted to thank you... for being my friend, Ranma... but..."  
  
"But... what?"  
  
"BAKA!" I jumped, startled at Akane's sudden outburst. "I can't stand it   
anymore! Are you going to ignore me forever, Ranma?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Akane?!? What do you mean, ignore you? What   
was I just doing??" Akane pushed me harder this time, and stood up. I stood up   
as well, and Akane turned to me resting her head and hands on my chest.  
  
"I'm not only talking about just now, Ranma, I'm talking about every other   
time I do this, too!" Akane started to pound on my chest as she spoke. "Can't   
you tell? Back when I wore that battle dougi, and how I wanted to stay sitting on   
your lap in the park? Or when I hugged you after you came back from fighting   
Herb?" Akane's pounding halted, and she began to grip my shirt. "I even agreed   
to MARRY you! You can't just sit there and play stupid forever, Ranma! Last   
night was the last straw!"  
  
"Akane, what are you talking--"  
  
"I LOVE YOU, DAMMIT!"  
  
I hope she didn't notice how my heart was pounding at that moment. Though I   
told Ryouga that I wanted to enjoy just being Akane's friend, it was hard to   
stick to that idea right now. She crumpled in my arms, holding herself as she   
was sobbing. *What the hell do I do?* I asked myself frantically.  
  
"...and.. the worst part is that you keep leading all of us on... we all   
love you, Ranma..." Akane fell to her knees, still hugging herself. I followed,   
determined to keep my arms around her.   
  
"I'm sorry, Akane..." All I could do at the moment was rub my hands up and   
down her back. What else was I supposed to do? "I don't mean to be doing this to   
you... any of you."  
  
"What else can I do besides throw myself at you like they do, Ranma?" Akane   
began wiping her eyes, and continued to speak. "I even changed the way that I   
looked... all of those new clothes so that you would notice me.. I was happy   
when it worked."  
  
"What?" My mind raced back to the day that Akane came back from shopping   
with Nabiki. Akane looked so... cute with her new clothes. I smiled a little to   
myself. She did it for.. "That was to make me notice you?"  
  
Akane nodded quietly. "Why... don't you ever do anything about all of your   
fiancees, Ranma?"  
  
I sighed, not saying anything. Looking down at Akane's face, I could notice   
that tears were still streaming down her face. Sighing once more, I brought up a   
hand to run through her hair, hopefully in a comforthing gesture. My mind   
wandered as my eyes did. Akane's eyes were clenched shut, tears still coming   
down. I brought my other hand up to wipe off her cheeks. My hand then came to   
rest on her shoulder. Where my hand stopped, my eyes continued. They traced down   
the contours of her arm, and trailed off, stopping at the opening in her tank   
top. There, my eyes caressed the curve of her breasts as Akane breathed in and   
out.   
  
...it was getting harder and harder yet to just be her friend... I mentally   
kicked myself for taking advantage of the view. *You idiot!* I screamed in my   
thoughts. *Stop being such a jerk and fix this!*  
  
"Akane?"  
  
"What is it?" Akane looked up at me, with trembling, pink lips that she   
fought hard to subdue.  
  
I couldn't help myself after looking at that. Whatever mental control I was   
keeping had been shattered by Akane's look. Being a man was really difficult   
right then. I wanted those lips for myself. Bringing both hands to cup her face,   
I suddenly kissed her with wild ferocity. The taste of her lips was   
intoxicating, and I continued to drink her in. I felt Akane's arms finally   
closing around my shoulders, and her soft hands running up my back. The heat of   
the sunrise began to peak from beneath the morning clouds, and my skin trembled   
under her touch.  
------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes: (1998)  
  
KYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! What have I done?? To tell the truth, this was not what I   
had planned, but this story has turned into a runaway horse. Ah well. Know this:   
the series WILL have a happy ending, but not here. ^^; Stay tuned for the next   
part, and let's see how I fix things so that the situation is somewhat   
managable.  
  
(May 2003)  
Hm. Know this: I don't know what kind of ending this story's going to have. ^^; The other sentiments are the same, though. ^_~ 


	3. 5c Mou Ichido, Ai Shiteru

Solar Demise - Five Series  
  
Part 5c - Mou Ichido: Ai Shiteru. [Once More: I Love You]  
  
This is a supplemental side story to part five of my main story, Solar Demise.  
It chronicles the events that took place with Ranma and Akane during part 5  
of the main story. ^^  
  
Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Takahashi Rumiko, along with a plethora of   
companies. I don't make money from writing this, and I don't plan to.  
------------------------------------  
"Akane?"  
  
"What is it?" I looked up at Ranma, humiliated. I had just poured my heart   
out to him, and all he did was sit there. My mind went back to the conversation   
I had with Ryouga about the difference between lovers and friends. Ranma had   
just said that we were friends. Though I was happy that we weren't fighting, it   
wasn't enough for me. I wanted, no, NEEDED more from him. Finally   
paying attention to the look on Ranma's face, I noticed that something was   
strange in his eyes.   
  
It all happened in the span of about 15 minutes.  
  
Before I could put my finger on that emotion, Ranma brought his hands to my   
face, licked his lips and pressed them over mine, kissing me. His breathing was   
ragged as he plunged his tongue into my mouth.  
  
I closed my eyes and smiled, thanking whatever deity caused this to happen.   
I hadn't been fooling myself this whole time! Ryouga-kun was right! Ranma loved   
me, and it was more than obvious now. I closed my arms around Ranma, running my   
hands along the crevices of his muscular back. We pulled away from each other a   
moment, and before I could say anything Ranma picked me up and headed over to   
our tent.  
  
After Ranma set me down I crawled inside, obeying his gestures to do so. He   
then crawled in after me. The look in Ranma's eyes was emotional, as he pulled   
my body closer to his and continued to kiss me. A small moan escaped from his   
lips, and he lay my body down on the pile of sleeping bags below. All I could do   
was run my hands up and down his back as Ranma proceeded to kiss down my   
jawbone, and into the bend of my neck. Each movement was rough, and feral; as if   
Ranma was succumbing to a suppressed animal instinct. I shivered under his   
movements.  
  
"Mmm, Akane..." Ranma's hot breath over my skin was enough to make me melt.   
Soon after, I felt his hands running down my body and up my shirt. One stopped   
at my breast, and cupped it, tracing a finger in circles over my nipple. I took   
a sharp breath. Nothing I have ever experienced before felt so... good. Ranma's   
mouth closed over mine as if to quiet me, and he finally moved his hand away,   
moving it to my back.   
  
I kissed Ranma as best as I could while pulling off his shirt. Finally   
realizing that he had to pull it off himself, I tore it off, much to his   
surprise. Ranma stopped for a second and blinked at me through wide eyes. He   
studied his surroundings, looking mostly at me, and down at his torn shirt. I   
sat up after, and took a deep breath.   
  
"Akane..." "Ranma..."  
  
"You go first," I whispered, rubbing my arms.  
  
"Okay." Ranma removed what was left of his shirt. "I don't know   
where exactly to start, but..." Sighing, he took my hands and brought them to   
his chest. "I'm sorry; I don't know what just came over me, but we can't do   
this."  
  
"No, it's okay." I smiled widely. "I got the answer that I was hoping for."  
  
"No, Akane, it's not like that." Ranma stared at me, with a sad expression   
on his face. What was he talking about? "Like I said, I'm not sure why I just   
jumped on you like I did but-"  
  
"I understand, Ranma," I interrupted. "You don't need to say it; I know you   
love me now." I smiled softly and moved to caress his hands.  
  
"No." Ranma's stare was steady and deliberate.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't love you, Akane."  
  
Hands moving instinctively to my eyes, I brushed away a tear without   
realizing that it had fallen in the first place. It felt as if my whole body was   
trembling (it probably was). Had I heard him correctly? Taking a breath, I   
dropped my hands and clenched them at my sides, fighting the urge to beat the   
hell out of him. "You..."  
  
"I... what?" Ranma looked as if he was bracing himself.  
  
"YOU'RE DOING TO ME WHAT YOU DID TO UKYOU?!?" I shrieked, moving to slap   
him. Ranma grabbed my hand before it could connect.  
  
"But it's not-"   
  
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" I tore my hand away from him again to wipe my tears   
away. Balling my fists, I punched Ranma in the face as hard as I could. "You   
BASTARD!" I continued to throw punches at Ranma as I spoke, not landing many of   
them "You kiss me like that and expect me to think that you don't love me? Is this what really happened with Ukyou? You said SHE kissed you, but now I don't believe you! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you going to lead on all of the others on like this, too?"   
  
"Why don't YOU shut up?" Ranma took hold of my arms, and pinned my entire   
body down with his as he waited for me to calm down.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?!?" I tried to head butt Ranma, but he   
moved his head to the side and then rested it alongside mine.  
  
"Akane, please listen to me," Ranma pleaded, whispering into my ear.   
  
"Why should I, huh?"  
  
"Look Akane," Ranma continued to whisper. Damn him. His voice was so   
soothing, even as I was struggling against his weight. "Didn't you say you'd do   
anything for me? All I'm asking is that you listen to me. I promise I'll let you   
beat me, even kill me if you want if you still think I'm a jerk, just as long as   
you let me talk first."  
  
Sighing, I relaxed a little. "What?" I said, flatly.  
  
Ranma continued to pin me down, still whispering in my ear. "I know how   
much you may hate me right now for having said that I don't love you, but it's   
the truth. Don't get me wrong though, Akane. I love being with you more than   
anyone else on this earth."  
  
A bit calmer, I replied, "So what's your point?"  
  
"I can't love you when I barely know what it's like to just be your friend.   
In all my life, I've hardly had someone that I could even call a friend. That's   
what I want the most from you right now. I wanted to apologize for jumping on   
you like that, but you were so... vulnerable... and desirable and sexy...   
Something that I can't explain came outta me and wanted you for myself." Ranma   
turned his head to sigh. "What I want to say I guess, is that I'm crazy about you; I don't feel right when you're not around, I always think about you, and there've been times when I've slipped a little before and thought to myself, 'Oh my GOD, I want her!' ...but I need to be your friend, first."  
  
"You just told me you loved me." I stretched as Ranma released my hands and got up.  
  
"... ...I'm crazy about you, I said. I'm going to love you." Ranma's voice was firm.  
  
I laughed a little. "You're essentially giving me a raincheck." Ranma slouched to one side.  
  
"I guess it's my turn to keep my promise." Ranma sat still, closing his eyes. "You gonna beat the crap outta me now?"  
  
I've never felt like such a jerk. "Can I just say something?" I asked, waiting for Ranma to open his eyes.   
  
"Of course."  
  
"Okay," I began, folding my hands in my lap. "I just wanted to apologize   
for hitting you, Ranma. Here I was, thinking all about how YOU hurt ME, and I   
didn't even realize that you had your own problems."   
  
Ranma sat silently, watching me. "I don't mind, Akane. Things are almost fixed now, right?"  
  
"Almost?"  
  
Silently, Ranma leaned forward a bit and pulled me close in an embrace. "Yeah."  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes: (1998)  
  
Okay, I think I fixed it now. I've almost regained complete control of the   
story. ^_~ Thanks so much for reading THIS far! 


	4. 5d Tabemono

Solar Demise - Five Series   
  
Part 5d - Tabemono [Food]  
  
This is a supplemental side story to part five of my main story, Solar Demise.  
It chronicles the events that took place with Ranma and Akane during part 5  
of the main story. ^^  
  
Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Takahashi Rumiko, along with a plethora of   
companies. I don't make money from writing this, and I don't plan to.  
------------------------------------  
Sometimes I can't help but have a one-track mind. I loved when he put his hands   
on me. My blushing didn't fade for a second as Ranma held my left arm close to   
the elbow and pushed my posterior forward at a slight angle. I loved the view   
from our campsite. The last time we'd been to the mountains we were just passing   
through. Trees were scattered down the sides of this mountain, and in the   
mornings they made a spectacular picture when the light pinks and blues of the   
sky peeked out from in between their branches. Sitting in certain trees provided   
a vast view of the valleys below. We couldn't stay high enough on the mountain   
where it would be difficult to breathe in the middle of sparring.  
  
"Akane, if you extend your arm too much, you're gonna pop your elbow. How do you   
expect to get any power when you waste it on extending your arm, eh?" Ranma   
pushed at my bottom and pulled the rest of me forward using my arm. "You have to   
keep that elbow bent slightly or else you've wasted all of the energy that's   
come from here--" he slapped me on the butt and ran his hand up to my back.   
"Through here and then to here." He punctuated his last 'here' with a slight tug   
on my arm. Ranma crossed his arms and sighed. "How many times to I have to feel   
you up in order to get my point across, eh? You' re not messing up on purpose, are   
you?"  
  
"..." *Caught...* I turned to smirk at him. "Stop flirting with me Ranma, I'm   
trying to LEARN here." Ranma rolled his eyes.  
  
"I'm serious, I want you to get better, unless you LIKE getting your ass wiped   
across the floor every night..?" Ranma stood with his hands on his hips and I   
swiveled quickly, throwing the punch that he'd been trying to teach me right   
into his face. It connected perfectly, shocking him enough for me to move back   
in case he was going to return punishment.  
  
"Whoops, you let go of my hips and it just went FLYING." Just as I started to   
smile ridiculously, I received a finger-tip Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken to the stomach.  
  
"Don't get cocky," Ranma snickered. "We've got a LONG way to go."  
  
-----------  
  
"I need lunch, Ranma~!" Damned hot weather. Damned training.   
Damned aching muscles.  
  
"Hm, good idea, Akane." Ranma lowered his fists and scanned around for our   
towel. He wiped himself off and wiped me down before I could say anything. I   
felt his hands pause on top of my shoulders just before he dropped the towel and   
massaged my shoulders a bit. I didn't even fight the smile spreading across my   
face.  
  
"Mmmm... that's great... ahh.." I sighed and sank onto a rock. Ranma grabbed one   
of my feet and started to massage an ankle. "Ranma, thank you!" If anyone would   
have asked, I would have blamed my reddened face on the heat and exhaustion.  
  
"I'm gonna make some lunch."  
  
"!! Wow, okay!" I stretched my back a bit and finished toweling off. "I don't   
think Ranma's ever been so nice to me," I mumbled to myself. "I bet it's because   
of all that abuse I got this morning."  
  
Ranma returned shortly with some sandwiches. Spreading a blanket over the   
ground, Ranma removed his shoes and smiled at me. "Itadakkimaaaase!"  
  
"Hey, wait for me!" I jumped up and threw my shoes off before hopping onto the   
blanket. "Itadakki-- eh??" As I reached for a sandwich, Ranma snatched up the   
plate. "What are you doing?"  
  
"What?" Ranma grinned and continued to eat. "I'll have to admit, Akane, lunch   
was a good idea."  
  
I dove at the sandwiches Ranma was holding. "What are you DOING, I'm STARVING!"  
  
Ranma jumped back and took some more bites. "Oh.. you wanted a sandwich?" His   
facial expression grew to devious. "Come get it."  
  
"What..?"  
  
"Show me how hungry you are, Akane."  
  
"You JERK! Ranma no BAKA!!" I dove at him, he dodged. "Fine, I'll just go make   
my own food--" Ranma leaped in front of me, shot out his hand at my shoulder,   
and knocked me flat onto the ground while eating another sandwich.  
  
"No, you won't." Ranma grinned and spun the plate of sandwiches on one finger.  
  
I growled.  
  
"Akane, are you gonna go into a blind rage and forget everything I taught you   
this morning?"  
  
"... ..." I shifted to an offensive stance.  
  
--------------------  
  
"OW! There's a bruise there, be careful..." I nibbled and savored my   
half-sandwich as if it were my last meal. My attack at Ranma was an embarassing   
one-sided failure, but nobody could say I didn't have any persistance. I got to   
eat Ranma's leftovers as a consolation prize.  
  
"Sorry. Finish your sandwich so I can take care of you properly. We can't have   
you being broken on the first day of your training, after all." Ranma stopped   
putting balm on me so that he could roll out the sleeping bags in our tent.  
  
"Aww.." I stared down at the remaining bites of my sandwich before stuffing it   
into my mouth. Ranma motioned for me to get into the tent. I crawled in and gave   
him a glare. "Wiffebeafer," I hissed, while crumbs flew from my mouth.  
  
"Psssht, you wish," Ranma retorted and ran his hand along my arm. "Come on, get   
on your stomach.. good." Ranma made sure there was enough padding below us   
before kneeling over the small of my back to give me a massage. The massage was   
welcome for a few very obvious reasons, and I sighed to myself, trying to decide   
if the abuse would be worth this kind of attention. I wondered how long this   
would continue. Prior to today, Ranma and I had "sparred" every night, even   
though it was really a session where I would do my best to even touch Ranma   
while he yawned and moved out of my way. It was Ranma's idea to try and make "at   
the very least, a more decent sparring partner" but I always wished that I could   
be seen as a formidable martial artist in everyone's eyes. It was hard being   
upstaged so easliy after being unbeatable for so long. It was harder to admit   
that I cared as much about my martial arts as I did, when I seemed to be in   
everyone else's shadow.  
  
It was a good idea to set the tent up under a shaded area. It was slightly   
cooler inside, and laying on the sleeping bag was quite comfortable. I   
moaned quietly, focusing on Ranma's fingers travelling across my cooling skin.   
"Mmm, why these great massages, Ranma?" I sighed heavily and had trouble keeping   
my eyes open.  
  
I felt Ranma's hands pause as he laughed gently. "I wonder." He kneaded at an   
area between my shoulder blades. "Maybe it's because I remembered how I felt when   
Pop used to train me." Ranma started softly chopping at my back. "..and maybe   
because you're gonna need this in order to survive the next few days. You might   
want to take a quick nap and we'll continue until dinner."  
  
The small pangs of fear in my stomach were so overshadowed by my sleepiness that   
all I could do was sigh before I fell asleep.  
  
----------------  
  
Yes, I had to fight for my dinner. In fact, one could predict how the next few   
days went: constant training until mealtimes, when it was a battle for whatever   
Ranma had prepared, follwed by a rigorous massage. By the third night, I thought   
I would get crafty and sneak out for a meal while Ranma was sleeping. I lived to   
regret it when Ranma woke to the sound of me stepping on dead leaves. I spent   
that night tied up.  
  
Ranma offered to give me two large meals in exchange for two massages. By the   
fourth morning, I found myself too groggy to fight hard for breakfast, so   
naturally I used one. I still had two massages left in that day, so I would be   
fine. Dinnertime on the sixth night was when I mentioned to Ranma that I wanted   
my second meal.  
  
"How disappointing, Akane, I thought you had a little more tenacity than that.   
After all, you've improved quite a bit, huh? Is this Akane admiting defeat   
again?"  
  
I was NOT in the mood for this. "Not fair, Ranma, give me my meal."  
  
"You think someone who wants to kill you is going to be fair?"  
  
"..." I turned around and darted as fast as I could to the cooler we borrowed to   
keep fish in. Ranma easily caught up to me, croquette and rice in hands, while   
effortlessly tripping me. He leaped high into a tree and balanced on a small   
branch, watching for my next move. I rose and stepped closer to the cooler. Ranma leaped back   
down, delivering a more serious flying kick which I barely dodged without having   
to dive. Ranma hopped back up onto a branch.  
  
It had been a while since I lost my temper in a near-blind rage. I screamed   
messily, delivering my own flying kick to the tree that Ranma stood in. It came   
hurdling down, and as Ranma practically flew into a tree behind him, I followed,   
focused on the food in his hands.  
  
"I swear, I'm going to KILL you if you don't give me that meal, Ranma!"  
  
"Now, that's a better kind of attitude to have," Ranma laughed. I charged him,   
and we leaped from branch to branch descending further down the   
mountain. We weren't even close to being low enough to land safely on the   
ground, but my awarness that we were up in a high place was skewed. Ranma ran   
out to the far edge of a branch as I stood closer to the trunk. If I had been   
truly registering the fact that I was standing on such a thin branch, I would   
have quickly forgotten about the food and climbed back to relative safety. The   
air burned through my lungs as I heaved, still focused on Ranma and the hand   
which was holding the food. My mind chanted, *Croquette and rice.. croquette and   
rice...* and I masked my sudden idea with a sneer. My foot flew high into the   
air, and my heel landed sharply, snapping the branch below us. Ranma's surprise   
flashed quickly as I screamed, crashing through branches.  
  
"Akane!" Ranma rebounded off of a tree trunk and launched himself so that he   
could catch me. I made no hesitation to snatch the croquette and kick Ranma down   
into the trees below. I laughed maniacally and didn't take time to savor the   
look on Ranma's face, but to run back up the side of the mountain, eating my   
loot."  
  
"Don't screw with me, Ranma!" I called. I reached our camp site, collapsing in   
front of our tent and savoring my triumph. Ranma followed shortly after,   
scratched up and sweaty. My initial reaction was fear; doing something like that   
to most anyone else would have killed them. If I didn't have so much faith in   
Ranma's abilities, I wouldn't have tried it. I stared at him with an expectant   
look. I tensed, ready to react in case Ranma was going to attack me.  
  
"Akane," Ranma panted. He pulled his tank top off and proceeded to clean himself. "Nice job. Lately, it's been looking a lot like you need less training than I was going to give you; and talk about a sense of adventure..!" Ranma wiped his   
face off and spit a little bit. "Do me a favor and get the first aid kit, will   
you? It looks like we're going to need a little disinfectant."  
  
"We?" Looking straight down, I noticed a relatively deep scratch across my ribs.   
The weather didn't really allow for me to train comfortably in a regular gi (it   
wasn't like we had one, either), and I didn't want to ruin the few presentable   
clothes I had. It was easier to train in my bikini because of all this, but my   
only real disadvantage was the fact that my skin was quite vulnerable to   
scratches. My ribs started to sting. "Ahh-- sure, just a minute."  
  
--------------------  
  
Bandaged and cleaned, Ranma and I lay next to each other in the tent. Night   
had fallen, and I could barely make out the whites of Ranma's eyes. "Seriously,   
Akane, you taught me again today that I shouldn't keep my guard down... heh   
heh... I'm surprised I'm not in a rage or something."  
  
"Well. I guess, when properly motivated I've always been good at things, huh?" I   
smiled and turned to face Ramna. "Nee, Ranma, do I still get that full meal?"  
  
"Maybe," Ranma sighed. He sat up a little and gently pushed me to lay on my   
back.  
  
"Ranma? Whatcha doing?" My face got a little hot and I felt myself blushing.   
Ranma slid over to me and gently climbed on top of me, running his fingers   
soothingly up and down my arm. Straning to turn my head, I fixated on the   
corners of his mouth, which turned up in a slight smile as he leaned closer.   
"Ranma," I said forcibly. He leaned low, speaking to the back of my head.  
  
"Akane..?" Ranma purred. I froze, waiting for Ranma to do something else. His   
hands closed gently around my arms and hesitation hung in his eyes. It suddenly   
got hotter in the tent. "Akane," Ranma said more assertively as his lips moved   
lower, close to my cheek. He breathed. Oh GOD, I wanted to just close my eyes and   
enjoy this! His lips moved along the side of my face, gently exhaling on my cheek   
before he stopped to whisper into my ear. "..I'm not about to let you get away   
with what happened today."  
  
I inhaled sharply.  
  
"Prepare for PAIN." Before I could think straight, Ranma's hands tensed around   
my arms, and I started to struggle even though it was obviously too late.  
  
My screams echoed across the valley below.  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes: (November/December 2001)  
Oiya, it's been a long time. This new part is just a testament to the fact that   
yes, I WILL finish Solar Demise. Like I mention in emails, I've graduated high   
school since I started this story, so time has been more scarce. I was planning   
on doing this part, ever since I wrote part 5. In fact (in case you didn't   
notice ^o~) A line in part 5 alludes to this part of Ranma and Akane's trip.  
  
These side stories are fun. Until Next Time... 


	5. 5e Nemurenai

Solar Demise - Five Series  
  
Part 5e - Nemurenai [(I) Can't Sleep]  
  
This is a supplemental side story to part five of my main story, Solar Demise.  
It chronicles the events that took place with Ranma and Akane during part 5  
of the main story. ^^  
  
Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Takahashi Rumiko, along with a plethora of   
companies. I don't make money from writing this, and I don't plan to.  
------------------------------------  
Excitement fluttered in my heart. She laid next to me in the shadows of our stuffy tent, breathing angelically, eyelashes softly twitching, curling up on top of her sleeping bag. I admired her creamy skin. On some nights when we slept under the stars I'd wake up, noticing how beautifully her skin glowed under the deep night sky, or how gently the moon highlighted her cheeks and nose.  
  
I had a reputation for sleeping deeply, but it was a habit that has long since disappeared. The first time I realized this was the night I reunited with her. A gunshot and familiar scream pierced my consciousness on that late afternoon as I was beginning to doze off. It was second nature to go pull her out of danger, no questions needed. Protectively, I watched her the entire time she slept. She's slept peacefully ever since, save a single night of sobbing. Due to my own stupidity it was the one night I couldn't comfort her.  
  
As a child, heavy thoughts weighed me down before I slept. Once I moved to Nerima my mind was "weighed down" by a mallett, suitors (men and women), exhaustion from fighting, or some kind of ancient Chinese Trick of the Day. Those things induced sleep very welcomely as it kept my mind off of other things. Akane and I took a break from that life, and a small but piercing flame inside of me flickered ominously. Those thoughts started to poke their heads out from hybernation: My lost childhood and friends I could have had, worries about people who wanted to kill me but never met me,and the time I lost with my mother. I obsessed over this and many other little things once I was left alone with my mind. These were things that would haunt me no matter how strong I became. While alone with Akane, I needed a distraction from them. I trained hard, as if I could destroy these things with my fists.   
  
To avoid these thoughts, I was forced to run myself into the ground until I was too tired to do anything but sleep. Unfortunately for Akane, it meant I had to run her into the ground as well. We would walk ridiculous distances, take the toughest route, or carry more things than necessary. When I started helping her become a better martial artist, it was an ideal excuse to wear us both out. I'd make it up to her someday. Once she fell asleep I'd sit up in bed each night, the gears in my head still turning.  
  
As nights passed when I'd sit up with only her sleeping form and the moon as my company I'd recall that frigid morning when I couldn't control myself. We shared kisses on what seemed to be a distant beach, once upon a time. Eventually the memory drove previous unpleasant thoughts in circles towards the back of my mind, overshadowed by Her. I realize I told her I only wanted a platonic relationship, but that didn't mean I couldn't adore her while she wasn't looking. I awaited the day when my feelings allowed me to grow up a little. Sometimes I wasn't even sure why I had to wait; I knew how we both felt. I was still shy and sometimes childish about it. At times I was still afraid to hold her hand even though I knew that's what she wanted. In fact, now that I think about it, the only thing that helped to shed my inhibitions was when we sparred.  
  
Soon, I wouldn't even need to hide behind that.  
  
These nights I wake up to think about our future as I gaze down at her. I want to brush my lips across her bare shoulders, and glide my hands across that back while enclosing her in my arms every time I see her like this. Tonight, like many previous nights lately, I realized just how close she and I were getting to this. My chest wavered in anticipation, and I smiled.   
-------------------------------------------  
Author's Notes: (March 2003)  
  
Heh, this was inspired by a moment I had. ^^ It's nice to write fanfics in a squishy, warm bed, by the way. 


End file.
